Berry-box.



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JGSEPH F. ADAMS, OF ST. CLAIR,'MIGHIGAN-.

BERRY-BOX.

adsense.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1915.(v

Application filed June 10, 1912.k SerialNo. 702,782.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that JOSEPH F. ADAMS, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of St. Clair, St. Clair county, Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Berry- Boxes, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to boxes of the kind used for packing berries or other small fruits or the like in shipping crates. Ordinarily, this is done by dividingl the crates into two compartments, and by placing eight boxes of fruit in each compartment. Thus four boxes are placed upon four similar boxes, in each compartment, and sometimes the upper boxes telescope or sink Within the lower boxes.

The object of my invention is, therefore, to provide a box of such character that it cannot telescope or sink within the box below. f

.lt is also an object to provide a novel construction whereby this advantage is accomplished in a box having portions which are slotted to receive the corners of the bottom, and of suoli construction that the slotted portions of one box each rest at an angleto the slotted portion of another box, when one box is placed upon another of the same character.

To these and other useful ends my invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying' drawings-Figure l is a plan of a box embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of said box. Fig. 3 is a plan of the bottom of the said box. Fig. i is an enlarged vertical section on line --li in Fig. l. Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan showing the positions of the corner portions of one box on top of another. Fig. 6 is a perspective of the portions shown in Fig. 5.

As thus illustrated; my invention comprises a square bottom A and a band B. The said band consists of a strip of veneer scored across the grain at the points l, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,

7 and 8 to form the short corner portions b,

the longer side walls b1, and the still longer side wall b2. lt will be seen that the corner portions o are provided with slots 3 that receive and hold the corners of the bottom. The ends of the band are fastened together in any suitable manner. As the sides b1 are shorter than the sides o2, and as the box is practically square, it follows that the portions b are not of uniform shape or angle. ln other words, each portion 7) forms an ob' tuse angle'with one of the sides 1, and a much moreV obtuse angle with one of the sides b2. Consequently, when one box is given a quarter turn relative to another, and placed on top thereof, the portions Z) of the upper and lower boxes cross each other at an oblique angle, as shown in Figs. 5 and (i. This means, of course, that when this is done one box cannot telescope within the other, because when arranged in this manner one box does not fit the other. But the boxes are practically square, and can be assembled in the usual manner in the shipping crate.

Broadly considered, my invention contemplates, therefore, a box having corners of non-uniform character or shape, whereby a corner of one box may rest firmly on a dierent corner of another box, when one box is placed upon another of the saine character, thus preventing the telescoping of one box within another. In addition it will be seen that the lower box is left open at the corners, as at C in Fig. (3, whereby ventilation is insured for the fruit below.

lith the foregoing construction, it will be seen that the corners of the box are not all the same, but to the contrary are different. In other words, one corner is disposed at a certain angle, relative to the side walls of the box, and an adjacent corner is disposed at a different angle. With the construction shown, there are two corners which are alike, and two corners which are different. Thus, as explained, the placing of one box upon another, with the upper box given a quarter of a turn or rotation about a vertical axis, results in leaving the corners of the lower box open at the upper edges thereof. In other words, the corners of `the lower box do not match or correspond to those of the upper box, under the circumstances stated. Consequently one corner portion rests at an angle upon the corner portion of the lower box.

lVhat I claim as my invention is:

l. In berry boxes, a box comprising a square bottom, and a band folded around said bottom, provided with corner portions having slots for the corners of said bottom, and sections alternating with said portions to form the side walls of the box, each said 'portion forming an obtuse angle with one section and a more acute angle with another section, whereby the said sections are necessarily of dilerent lengths to enable the said band to fit the said bottom, and another box of similar construction the slotted corner portions of one box being disposed at an angle above those of the other box, when one box is placed upon the other, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A box comprising a bottom and a band therefor, said band having corner portions and side sections, `each corner portion forming obtuse angles of different degrees with two of said sections, the sections forming the more obtuse angles being shorter than the other two sections.

3. A box comprising a. bottom and a band 15 and the side sectionsall conforming to the 20 edges of said bottom. Y Signed by'rne at ,Van Buren, Crawford county, Ark., this 4th da)T of May, '1912.`

JOSEPH F. ADAMS.

Titnesses WV. V. BOATRIGHT, R. W. QUARLES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained Afor five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.. Washington, D. C. Y 

